In a significant development for Georgia high school football, Jon Richt, son of former University of Georgia head coach Mark Richt, has been named head coach at Prince Avenue Christian School in Bogart, Georgia, as reported on February 10, 2025. This move marks a new chapter for the 34-year-old, who steps into the role after serving as the Wolverinesโ offensive coordinator since 2021, helping lead the team to three state championships and two runner-up finishes. Jon replaces Greg Vandagriff, who resigned after nine seasons with a remarkable 107-16 record and three Georgia High School Association (GHSA) titles. Jonโs appointment, announced by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, underscores his deep ties to the Athens area and his fatherโs storied legacy, while signaling his own rise as a coaching talent.
Jon Richtโs journey to this moment is steeped in football pedigree. A former quarterback at Prince Avenue, where he graduated in 2008, Jon met his wife, Anna, at the school, making his new role a homecoming. After playing at Clemson and Mars Hill University, where he set program records in completions, attempts, yards, and touchdown passes, Jon transitioned to coaching. He served as a quality control assistant at Georgia in 2014 under his father, an offensive assistant with the NFLโs Buffalo Bills in 2015, and quarterbacks coach at the University of Miami from 2016 to 2018 alongside Mark Richt. Since 2019, Jon has run Catalyst Quarterback Development in Buford, Georgia, sharpening his coaching acumen. His tenure as Prince Avenueโs offensive coordinator saw the Wolverines, led by Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo, dominate with back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023.
Mark Richt, a College Football Hall of Famer with a 145-51 record at Georgia and two SEC championships, expressed pride in Jonโs path, noting to the Athens Banner-Herald that his sonโs faith-driven approach mirrors his own career. Mark, who has battled Parkinsonโs disease since 2021, emphasized Jonโs ability to โplant rootsโ in the Athens community, a sentiment echoed by Jonโs commitment to maintaining Prince Avenueโs winning culture. Jon credits his fatherโs mentorship, telling The Red & Black, โI call him all the time just asking advice,โ highlighting Markโs ongoing influence despite his role as an ACC Network analyst.
Jon faces the challenge of sustaining Prince Avenueโs powerhouse status after Vandagriffโs departure, which followed a 56-28 loss in the 2024 GHSA Class Private A-3A state championship. Jonโs experience at the college and NFL levels gives him an edge, as Mark noted, praising his sonโs play-calling prowess. With the Richt familyโs deep Athens rootsโMark and Katharyn live near Jon and their three grandchildrenโJonโs leadership promises stability and community connection. As he steps into this high-profile role, Jon Richt is poised to carve his own legacy, blending his fatherโs values with a modern vision for Prince Avenueโs future.
